8
Detergents and additives
Good washing results also depend on the choice of
detergent and use of the correct quantities to avoid
waste and protect the environment.
Although biodegradable, detergents contain sub-
stances which in large quantities can damage the
delicate ecological balance of nature.
Always use good quality detergents suitable for
use in washing machines.
Follow the indications given by the detergent manu-
facturer according to the weight of laundry, the degree
of soil and the hardness of the water in your area; if
you do not know how hard it is, ask your local Water
Authority.
Powder detergents
The washing powder should be placed in the appro-
priate compartments of the dispenser drawer before
starting the programme.
Special detergents are available for coloured and deli-
cate fabrics and for wool.
«Concentrated» powder detergents
Pour the concentrated powder detergent into the com-
partment for the main wash.
Avoid selecting programmes including prewash
when concentrated detergents are used.
Degrees of water hardness
Liquid detergents
A liquid detergent can be used in the middle compart-
ment of the dispenser drawer as long as you start the
machine up straight away without prewash.
Liquid additives
It may be advisable to use a liquid fabric softener
when you are going to dry synthetic garments in the
tumble dryer for example.
This prevents the fabrics becoming charged with static
electricity.
Level
1
2
3
4
0-7
0
8-14
15-21
> 21
0
0-15
16-25
26-37
> 37
soft
medium
hard
very hard
Characteristic
German
degrees
French degrees
